This is blog offers commentary, opinion and advise on a wide range of topics related to musical instruments, their design, history and so forth.
Until recently, this site was associated with the now closed for business Adventurous Muse Store, an online musical instrument and musical instrument accessories store, owned and operated by Don Rickert Musical Instruments™. For a number of reasons, we decided to close the old Adventurous Muse Store for business. You can still go there, but all you can do is purchase downloaded materials and view an extensive portfolio of instruments designed and made by Don Rickert Musical Instruments over the years.
Design and making historic replica instruments, as well as innovative high-end custom musical instrument creations for individual customers (advanced musicians, often professional performers)
Inventing truly ground-breaking musical instruments for international design competitions. For example: Dr. Don Rickert recently made to the semi-finals round in the prestigious 2012 Guthman Musical Instrument Design Competition with his “Electro-mechanically Augmented Acoustic Violin” (EAAV) invention.
Obtaining patents on its inventions
This blog has over 600 articles that have been written over the years. It is really ready for a general cleanup, especially given a curiously large number of viewers of completely obsolete material; hence, useless content. For example, we get lots of "hits" on ads for online store sales that occured years ago. We even get emailed requests to honor these old sale prices! This is going to take some time, so please bear with us as we sort out the junk.
Well, okay...some people actually do need a pernambuco bow. Read on.
In a recent article, Making Sense of the New Carbon Fiber Bows, I expressed a strong preference for the new generation of braided carbon fiber bows, for violin, fiddle, viola and octave violin (sometimes called baritone violin) for meeting the needs of the modern player.
Considerations I covered in the previous article were:
Whether or not the bow is to be used to play violin/fiddle or octave violin/fiddle, concluding that the octave violin or fiddle player should use a viola rather than a violin bow
Do you need a “forgiving” bow or does your playing demand a “race horse” bow?
Are you a fiddler or a violinist? (a minor consideration really)
Considerations NOT covered in depth in the previous article:
Cost, as the best high-performance modern carbon fiber bows are all in the $400 to $900+ range, which is FAR less than the cost of a good wooden bow
Situations for which the player actually needs a quality wooden bow…that will be covered in this article
Our Conclusions About High-Performance Carbon Fiber Bows:
The CodaBow Diamond NX is the way to go if you desire a really nice but forgiving bow.
The Glasser Braided Carbon Fiber Octagonal Shaft is the best buy for a fiddler in need of an extremely high-performance bow.
The CodaBow Diamond SX is our second choice FOR FIDDLERS in the high-performance class owing to its higher price than the Glasser, but our first choice FOR VIOLINISTS in the high-performance class owing to its observed ability to draw a slightly better tone from a really good violin.
The CodaBow Diamond GX is our recommendation for the professional fiddler or violinist, owing to its aesthetic beauty combined with stellar performance in the hands of an expert.
Who Needs a Wooden Bow, and Which Bow do they need?
Re-enactors of earlier music genres have a legitimate need for a good wooden bow and the wood should be pernambuco. Like Francois Tourte, credited with the invention of the modern reverse camber bow (bows actually evolved for many years and Tourte got the invention credit), I have totally rejected snakewood as a suitable alternative for anything but a Baroque bow. A modern bow of snakewood performs about as well as a $40 fiberglass bow.
So…Which Bow for Whom?
Don Rickert Musical Instruments sells carefully-selected collection of pernambuco bows. In accord with our strong support of IPCI-USA (International Pernambuco Conservation Initiative-USA) (www.ipci-usa.org), we have selected three makers of pernambuco Master Bows, all of whom happen to be German. Being German had nothing to do with our decision. All three have passed our ethical standards review.
Georg Werner Workshop (part of the famous Doerfler Workshop, Bubenreuth, Germany)
Sebastian Dirr (Erlangen, Germany)
Herbert and Christian Wanka (Baiersdorf, Germany)
The bows of all three of these Master Bow Makers are imported to the U.S. by the highly-respected Connolly Music, suppliers (i.e. wholesalers) of musical instruments and related products to bona fide Dealers such as us.
At the lower end (everything is relative!) of the price range are two Master Bow models by Georg Werner. The prices of these bows is a bit higher than the most expensive carbon fibre bow that we sell, the CodaBow Diamond GX.
Both of the Geoge Werner bows play at least as well as the CodaBow NX and possibly the CodaBow SX.
They draw slightly sweeter tone from a really good violin or fiddle.
One has a round shaft and the other has a stiffer octagonal shaft.
These bows are targeted to advanced amateur re-enactors of 1860s (i.e. Civil War) music as well as traditionally-minded players of early 20th Century “Roots” music, which we now call Old Time fiddling.
Either bow is also suitable for the serious late 18th Century pochette (strung with either synthetic or real gut) player, such as the Neil Gow II pochette by Don Rickert Musical Instruments; however, the Transitional Bow by Sebastian Dirr (described below) on real gut strings is more period-appropriate.
Bottom line is that they are both pretty good pernambuco bows priced about as low as you will ever find a decent pernambuco Master Bow. We DO NOT consider either of these to be contemporary fiddle contest bows, although people have won competitions with far lower quality bows.
Georg Werner Master Violin Bow Round Shaft, Germany (slightly less than $1,000)
Georg Werner Master Violin Bow Octagonal Shaft, Germany (about $1,000)
The essential bow for the mid to late 18th Century violinist of pochette player
There was not a sudden jump from the Baroque bow to the “modern” reverse camber bow for which Francois Tourte gets the invention credit. There were all sorts of transitional bows in use throughout the 1700s.
Master Bow Maker (Bogenbaumeister), Sebastian Dirr makes a superb transitional violin bow based on the type used by the violin virtuoso, Wilhelm Cramer.This type of bow was particularly popular from about 1750 to 1785.
The Cramer bow is immediately recognizable by a head that sweeps both forward and backward, something like a battle axe. Compared to a modern bow, the Cramer is lighter—56 grams compared to an average 60 grams today—with less camber and a taller head and frog. The band of hair is slightly narrower, with a lighter-weight, open-trench frog. Dirr’s copy is beautifully crafted in pernambuco with ebony frog and mastodon-ivory tip and adjuster button.
While the Cramer Transitional Bow was developed to allow violinists to perform the short, bouncy strokes required for the then new music of Haydn and Mozart, the intended user of this bow from our standpoint is a player of our Neil Gow Pochette or similar late 18th Century Pochette.
While Sebastian Dirr’s bows are renowned for excellent tracking, settling quickly into the string, releasing effortlessly, and producing a rich and focused tone, keep in mind that this is a meticulous replica of a 250 year old bow…not a modern bow.
Sebastian Dirr Wilhelm Cramer Transitional Violin or Pochette Bow ($2,000+)
Two Pernambuco Bows for the Seriously Committed Musician (with $3,000+ to spend)
We have pair of Herbert Wanka pernambuco bows, very similar except that one has an ebony frog and the other a horn frog. These pernambuco bows perform as well or better than a high-performance carbon fiber bow. They are Tourte bows, which are historically legitimate for late 18th Century music and instruments, as well as mid-19th Century, early 20th Century Old Time fiddle or even modern fiddle or violin.
These bows are definitly suitable for high-level fiddle competition or professional use, as well as orchestral use (Note: Professional orchestral violinists usually have much more expensive bows...tens of thousands of dollars for a bow is not unusual for someone playing on a $100,000+ violin!). We do have more expensive ($3,500 - $6,000 range) Wanka bows if you need them. Call us...see the "Call Me" widget at the end of this article.
Both models from Herbert Wanka are Master Bows from carefully selected pernambuco. Round or octagonal shaft with mammoth ivory tip plate.
Herbert Wanka Master 24A Bow, Horn Frog, Round or Octagonal Shaft, Germany (about $3,000)
Herbert Wanka Master 24B Bow, Ebony Frog, Round or Octagonal Shaft, Germany (just under $3,000)
It is worthy of note that both Herbert (dad) and Christian (son) Wanka contribute a lot of money as well as other volunteer efforts to the IPCI (International Pernambuco Conservation Initiative).
I hope that this article cleared things up a bit with respect to pernambuco bows. If you have any questions, please feel free to use the Google "widget" below for a free phone call. If you do not have Adobe Flash installed, our phone number is 404-828-0136. If you wish to argue, use the comment feature instead.
The bow is just as important, and in some ways more important, than the instrument it is used on. There are different kinds of bows for different instruments. For example, a bow for a viola or octave (baritone) violin or fiddle is heavier, with a different balance point, than a bow for violin or fiddle. The playing characteristics any specific bow makes it more or less suitable to the playing style of the musician.
Bows for Violin or Fiddle (Price range from about $400 to $900+)
CodaBow Diamond Series NX Violin Bow
CodaBow Diamond Series SX Violin Bow
CodaBow Diamond Series GX Violin Bow
Glasser Braided Carbon Fiber Octagonal Violin Bow
Bows for Viola or Octave (Baritone) Violin (Price range from $400s to about $1,000)
CodaBow DIAMOND NX Bow for Octave Violin or Viola
CodaBow Diamond Series SX Viola or Octave Violin Bow
CodaBow Diamond Series GX Viola or Octave Fiddle Bow
Deciding on which bow is right for you can be bewildering, as they all are so-called “braided carbon fiber” and look pretty much the same, except for color and appointments, such as gold inlay, goldfish abalone, etc. on the most expensive models.
All models are made of an “acoustic core” (such as Kevlar), encased in graphite fabric saturated with a hard resin (e.g. epoxy). Only the new generation of braided carbon fiber bows has this acoustic core. Fiberglass and other composite bows are hollow and solid carbon graphite bows are made completely of carbon fiber strands bonded together.
The composition of the bow’s acoustic core definitely makes a difference in the way the bow feels and plays, and even the quality of timbre…a better acoustic core actually makes the instrument sound better! Little is known about the underlying science of bow acoustic cores, as the makers keep this highly proprietary information very close to the vest.
Making an Good Decision on the Right Bow for You
Is your instrument a violin/fiddle, a viola or an octave (a.k.a. baritone) violin/fiddle?
The first decision is easy, and is based on whether you are going to use the bow to play a regular violin or fiddle or an octave violin, tuned an octave lower but with the same string length as a regular violin (or a viola). Unless you have some reason to play an octave fiddle with a violin bow, such as Darol Anger does, the heavier viola/octave violin bow is highly recommended.
Most players need the extra power of a viola bow to effectively pull notes from octave violin strings, which are quite large in diameter (i.e. fat). They should NOT use a violin bow to play an octave fiddle just because that is what Darol Anger (maybe the best octave violinist and fiddler in the world) does. Darol has a unique percussive jazz-bluegrass fusion style that he has developed over decades and he needs a lighter bow than a viola bow to make it work to his satisfaction.
Do you need a “forgiving” bow or does your playing demand a “race horse” bow?
The next decision is not so easy. Do you want a bow that is more forgiving…a bow that performs like a pretty good wooden (Pernambuco) bow or a “race horse” that allows you to do amazing things, but requires well-developed bowing skills.
High-performance carbon fiber bows generally perform better than all but the finest Pernambuco bows, costing thousands of dollars. I have never played a Pernambuco bow that even comes close to a high-end carbon fiber bow…and I have played some very nice Pernambuco bows.
If you want a kind and relatively forgiving carbon fiber bow, there is only one choice, the CodaBow Diamond Collection NX. I like the viola version of the CodaBow NX for playing an octave fiddle better than the violin version, which is a bit too bouncy (just like a wooden bow) for my taste. That being said, the CodaBow NX violin bow is the most popular among our customers. We have even had customers exchange higher-end CodaBows (the SX and GX models) because their responsiveness highlighted every nuance, including mistakes.
The rest of the carbon fiber bows from CodaBow and Glasser that we sell are responsive beyond belief, range from stiff to super-stiff and afford very fast playing, such as might be required in a competition Scottish Strathspey or Jazz.
I will return to a comparison of the various “race horse” bows from CodaBow and Glasser, but let’s take a look at feature and cost comparisons first.
Feature Comparisons of the Various Bows
All CodaBow Diamond Collection (the NX, SX and GX) as well as the Glasser Octagonal Shaft bows have the following features in common.
They all only come in 4/4 size
A shaft made of graphite diamond weave fabric around an acoustic core
The diamond weave fabric pattern is clearly visible; indeed, it is part of the aesthetic of these bows. The following illustration by DragonPlate, the premier maker of braided carbon fiber products, illustrates the visibility of the fabric pattern characteristic very well.
Frogs by Walter Paulus
Nickel Silver (a.k.a. “German Silver”) fittings
Simulated Ivory tip plates (CodaBows) or nickel silver tip plates (Glasser)
Hand-cut wooden wedges and plugs
Features that Vary
The table tells us very little useful information except color and what the fittings and decoration are made from. I am not even sure what CodaBow means when they refer to the “Blended Kevlar” acoustic core of the NX bows vs. the Kevlar core of the NX and SX. Glasser’s acoustic core is a trade secret. Does anyone actually know the difference between Silver Medal Horse Hair and Gold Medal Stallion Hair? We know that the NX bows are brown, the SX and Glasser bows are dark gray and the GX has a reddish brown tint that CodaBow calls “Pernambuco”. There is also a wide variation in price.
How They Perform (The Proof is in the Playing!)
From our experience, advanced amateur fiddlers favor the CodaBow NX. Advanced Level Competition fiddlers favor the Glasser and the CodaBow NX bows, which seem to play almost identically. The CodaBow NX may pull a slightly better tone from a really good instrument; therefore it seems to be favored over the Glasser by violinists.
From what we can tell, the CodaBow GX plays about the same as a CodaBow SX. The $200+ difference in price between the GX and SX is more than just for thegold inlay and other aesthetic attributes. The CodaBow GX just plays better! Professional violinists seem to be willing to pay that extra $200+ for the Pernambuco tint, thus allowing them NOT to stick out like a sore thumb among their fellow musicians playing with old Pernambuco bows. There is an incredible childish snobbery about Pernambuco bows in the orchestral world (those who wish to argue--bring it on!)...never mind the fact that bow-making is one of the contributing factors to the Pernambuco tree being almost extinct (there is currently a Pernambuco moratorium going on and Pernambuco exportation from Brazil is in most cases illegal).
Bottom Line
The CodaBow NX is the way to go if you desire a really nice but forgiving bow. The Glasser Braided Carbon Fiber Octagonal Shaft is the best buy for a fiddler in need of an extremely high-performance bow. The CodaBow SX is our second choice FOR FIDDLERS in the high-performance class owing to its higher price than the Glasser, but our first choice FOR VIOLINISTS in the high-performance class owing to its observed ability to draw a slightly better tone from a really good violin.
The CodaBow GX is our recommendation for the professional fiddler or violinst, owing to its aesthetic beauty combined with stellar performance in the hands of an expert.
There you have it.
If you have any questions about the bows discussed in this article and which one is right for you, visist Don Rickert Musical Instruments.
Unless you are doing 19th-Century Civil War or Minstrel reenacting, you should be using a carbon fiber bow. I say this without ANY doubt. We have couple of OK quality old Pernambuco bows for about $500 that we are reserving for reenactors.
Pernambuco bows NO!!!
The first reason is that, in case you have not heard, there is a moratorium on new Pernambuco bows. If you get one, it is an illegal (by Brazilian law) bow...in other words, contraband. In order to get an old Pernambuco bow that comes close to what you can do with the new generation Glasser or CodaBow bows, you are going to have to spend several grand.
Snakewood bows...not a safe alternative
Don't even think about using a snakewood bow. Francois Tourte, the inventor of the kind of bow (i.e. reverse camber) we use today said (to paraphrase) that snakewood is the most unsuitable material on Earth for making a bow. Leave the snakewood supply for makers of Baroque bows...part of the fun in playing Baroque music is getting a good sound from a raspy instrument with a lousy bow!
Carbon Fiber...YES
The difference between a 3-year old CF bow and one of the new generation is incredible. In other words, you need a new one, such as a Glasser braided carbon fiber or CodaBow Diamond Series.
A year ago, we sold these bows by the dozens, could not keep them in stock and had trouble getting them. Today, we hardly sell any. Some theories:
People have stopped playing violin and fiddle (not plausible)
People have lost their source of income (a lot of that going around)
People are paralyzed by FEAR of losing their jobs, which really sucks, but is a PRIMARY reason for why it is taking so long for the economy to improve (money hoarding in troubled times seems to be human nature).
Availability of "gray market" good bows with unauthorized (by the suppliers) low prices. If you buy gray market, shame on you (and your warranty is void in most cases...instant Karma I guess)
Besides the first theory put forth, I think that we are seeing a combination of theories 2, 3 and 4.
Let's Buy Some Bows!
With the fiddlers' convention season upon us, we suggest that you move quickly, as there is often a manufacture backlog. Yes, the new Don Rickert Musical Instruments sells high-end bows.
Assuming that you have at least a moderate-quality fiddle or violin (that is properly set up) and some skill at playing it, NOTHING matters to your playing, the sound your playing makes and your development as a bowed string musician than the bow. The old rule of thumb that we old people were taught is that you should spend at least as much on your bow as you do your fiddle or violin. How many of us really followed that advice. Especially those of us who practice the fiddle discipline played on the cheapest Brazilwood or fiberglass bow that we could get our hands on.
Until you play a great bow, you just can't get it--you play a lot better with a high-quality bow. Not too long ago, a great bow could cost thousands of dollars. Invariably, great bows were always made of Pernambuco wood, or occasionally Snakewood (but Snakewood is more common for Baroque bows, and that is a different topic than today's). Pernambuco bows can be real a joy to use; but there is a serious shortage of Pernambuco wood, so buying a new one could be considered irresponsible, and a good old one is going to cost you some big bucks.
Today, you can get a carbon fiber or carbon graphite (they are slightly different composite materials) bow for under $500. In the case of the IncrediBow, you can get one for about $150 or less. High-end carbon fiber bows that I have played are better than ANY pernambuco bow I have played (that should generate some comments!). Being in the business of selling fiddle and violin and bows (Don Rickert Musical Instruments) and having observed hundreds making bow buying decisions, I can report the following consumer insights:
The majority of potential customers enter the purchase dialog with the notion that they want a wood bow.
We take more old Pernambuco wood bows in trade as partial payment for high-end carbon fiber bows than we sell.
We sell more carbon fiber bows than wood bows. In fact, I cannot remember the last time we actually sold a wood bow.
The new generation of "braided carbon fiber" bows (carbon fiber fabric wound around a core and encased in a resin) perform better than the older style extruded carbon fiber bows.
The majority of bows we sell are of the braided carbon fiber type (and these are the most expensive...in the $400-$1,000 price range).
One more point about bows: The best bows available are all made in the USA, such as Glasser and CodaBow. Even the old London based P&H bows are now made in the US.
Snakewood is for Baroque bows, which are used for playing Baroque music on Baroque violins. The wood is heavy and does not hold the camber (reverse curve) that is so critical to Tourte (i.e. modern) bows. Francois Tourte explicitly rejected snakewood as being unsuitable for his bows. We nearly cried when we heard that a vendor (yes, a competitor) sold a snakewood Tourte bow to a young fiddle student who was considering buying an entry-level carbon fiber bow (OK, yes from us).
Now, you might ask, why not use a Baroque bow for modern playing. We'll get into the details some other time, but suffice it to say that Tourte did not invent the modern bow just to be different.
Snakewood looks really cool, but it sucks for modern violin and fiddle bows. Unless it is vintage or made from pre-embargo pernambuco wood, getting a Pernambuco bow is irresponsible. This means that if you buy a pernambuco bow (note: Don Rickert Musical Instruments DOES sell them), it is going to be made in Europe, as it is difficult to certify Asian-made bows as legal (i.e. pre-embargo).
Pernambuco is an endangered wood and has been since the 17th century, at least. To be fair to those of use who make and sell bows, the shortage of Pernambuco has more to do with the fabric dye and furniture industries, combined with centuries of poor forestry management than the making of violin and fiddle bows. But the bow industry doesn't get off so easily, as the best wood for bow-making comes from the centers of old growth trees.
Why Pernambuco for bows in the first place? Francois Tourte (see Wikipedia article on Tourte) invented the "modern" bow, which curves backwards, at least from the perspective of the musicians of the period. He made them out of Pernambuco wood, due to its high stiffness and low weight. This is, of course, an oversimplification, but you get the idea. Interestingly enough, the stiffness to weight issue is one of the primary advantages of a high quality carbon fiber bow over a pernambuco bow (yes, there is a thinly-veiled hint in that statement.). In any case, in any likely future that I can foresee, pernambuco bows are going to get more and more expensive and carbon fiber bows more prevalent.
We proudly support IPCI-USA the "International Pernambuco Conservation Initiative-USA". In practical terms, this means that we do not sell new genuine pernambuco bows. We will only sell old pernambuco bows acquired as trade-ins for carbon fiber and carbon graphite bows. We will continue to sell extremely high quality carbon fiber and carbon graphite bows...now you have an excuse to buck peer pressure from blind traditionalists and upgrade to a better (carbon fiber) bow.
In an earlier post, I (Don Rickert) presented more or less a summary of what various musicians use to play octave violin or octave fiddle. In that post, I mentioned that the extraordinary 'cellist and also really good fiddler, Natalie Haas, uses a French-style 'cello bow on her octave violin. Natalie has since informed me that she is now using a violin bow. I did not ask her the characteristics of her bow, as we had other business to cover; however, I assume (i.e. if I were her), I would choose a "heavy" violin bow. ALL violin bows weigh in the 56-58 grams range. A "heavy" bow is one whose balance point is further away from the frog, so that it feels heavier and "grabs" the strings with more force.
That update being covered, I will talk about my two favorite bows for octave violin; the Glasser Braided Carbon Fiber Octagonal Viola Bow and the new CodaBow Diamond Series NX Viola Bow, also a "braided" carbon fiber (meaning epoxy-saturated carbon fiber fabric wrapped around a core) bow.
The Glasser is pictured on the left and the CodaBow on the right.
The Glasser's core, as far as I know, is proprietary or I was not paying attention when I was told. The CodaBow's core is composed of Kevlar strands. The Glasser is slightly stiffer, the octagonal shape contributing somewhat to this stiffness, as the octagonal is far stiffer than the Glasser round shaft version of the same bow, which I do not like. The CodaBow has a round shaft but it is plenty stiff, just not so much so as the Glasser.
I have to say, I love both bows. I suppose that the CodaBow feels a little bit more like a really good wooden bow, but nowhere near as bouncy. The CodaBow seems to have a bit more "pull" when a lot of two string chords are involved. The Glasser is a bit faster on melody parts.
Bottom line is that one needs both, but if I had to choose one, I would choose the CodaBow for octave violin, as most of my octave playing is chordal "second fiddle" accompaniment.
There is probably no topic that stimulates more debate than which type of bow to use on an octave violin, or a regular violin for that matter. For instance, Darol Anger, indisputably the prime mover behind the resurgence in modern octave violins, uses a violin bow exclusively and has very strong opinions about its benefits. But, then again, Darol favors an octave strung standard violin for his style of playing and the type of alternative jazz-grass fusion, which is far from the mainstream.
On the other extreme, the great 'cellist, Natalie Haas often uses a 'cello bow on her octave violin (a Rickert-Fiddarci with Chanot-type soundholes). Our point of view is informed by formal observational research and depth interviews with hundreds of musicians conducted by Dr. Rickert. The answer is that whatever bow works for the type of music you are playing is the right bow. For virtually ALL players, however, the right bow is a high-quality braided carbon fiber viola bow. Wooden bows of any sort are completely unsuitable for playing an octave instrument, as they tend to have too much bounce. Perhaps a $5,000 pre-moratorium Pernambuco wooden bow could do the job, but who knows, especially when you can get a bow that we know will work for about $500.
The stiffness of a high-end carbon fiber viola bow pulls sound from the large diameter strings of an octave violin with minimal bounce. We favor the Glasser™ Octagonal Braided Carbon Fiber viola bow or the new CodaBow™ Diamond Series™ braided carbon fiber viola bow, both of which are sold by Don Rickert Musical Instruments.
Summary: The key advantages of the Diamond SX over the Diamond NX are: The silver fittings, tonal clarity, power, strength. agility and response to fine nuance of technique. It requires somewhat more bowing skill to handle (i.e. a bit less stable in the sense that a race horse is less stable than a work horse). Of course these qualities are sought after by more experienced players.
Summary: Tone color, Clarity, Power, agility and response.
Authors Note:The CodaBow Diamond GX is the finest bow available at any price. It plays like a world-class pernabuco bow costing $10,000 or more, but costs just under $1,000.
The CodaBow GX plays and sounds so much better for the kind of playing I do (Scottish and American Old-Time) than the CodaBow NX that the extra several hundre dollars in price is well worth it.
MP3s to Play or Download from this site We have given up on hosting our music files on Facebook and iLike, which seem to be perpetually broken, so we are moving files to this page.
NOTE: We still post MP3s to MySpace; however, there seems to be no way for you to download them.
